The Treaty of Versailles

World War 1 ended in 1918, and world leaders met in France to write a peace agreement. The Treaty of Versailles was signed in 1919. It punished Germany for the war and created new countries. The treaty had lasting effects on Europe and the world.

What the Treaty Said

The treaty blamed Germany for starting the war. Germany had to pay huge amounts of money to the winning countries. It also lost land and had to shrink its army. New countries like Poland and Czechoslovakia were created from former empires.

Effects of the Treaty

Many Germans felt the treaty was unfair. The heavy payments made life very hard in Germany. Some historians believe the anger caused by the treaty helped lead to World War 2. The treaty showed that ending a war with a peace deal is not always simple.

Fun Facts

• The treaty was signed in the Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles in France.
• Germany did not finish paying its World War 1 debts until 2010.
• The League of Nations was created as part of the treaty to prevent future wars.

Did You Know?

The Treaty of Versailles was signed exactly five years after the event that started World War 1.